Posts tagged ‘poop’
Holding It Through Costco
For those of you who missed my poop posts, well here ya go.
So I made it through Costco tonight. We’ll just leave it at that. For those of you who also suffer from, er, urgency issues, you know what I mean. And all in the Crohn’s club yells “yeahhhh baby.” Tonight’s episode of trying to make it through the store gave me flashbacks to last Christmas. Let’s just say that I have used every restroom between Springfield and Clinton. And I’ve never been more thankful my hubby had family in Clinton. Ahh memories. His grandpa had to give me his prescription anti-crap pills. Now when I’m taking that sort of stuff, it’s bad.
So why bore you (or I guess for some of you this is interesting) with my poop-a-palooza stories? Well, it’s just to push myself to keep bringing such an uncomfortable, unwanted topic out in the open. Because for years I wouldn’t talk about poop. I couldn’t imagine being married and pooping in the same house as someone. And my phobia of poop wound me up with stage III colon cancer because I wouldn’t talk about it.
So there ya go, a poop post. Oh – and here’s a baby picture, just for making it through all of this bathroom humor. HAHA – get it. Man I crack myself up. HAHA get it, crack? Ok I’m done.
I bet I get this look more and more as she realizes her mama's a poop blogger....
Toilet Golf
I realize that many of my posts have been pretty heavy lately. The one thing Semicolon Stories can provide is a guaranteed, honest look at what life is like through colon cancer. Sometimes it’s awesome and other times it’s really hard.
But, I also realize that this is a blog dedicated to all things colon, and that we haven’t talked about poop in a long time.
So, to help lighten the mood today I leave you with this: Toilet Golf! We saw this bad boy in a cute store when walking around Downtown Lawrence for our anniversary.
The “Potty Putter Toilet Time Golf Game” looks like a great way to improve your holes-in-one while you’re going number two! Check it out…
Watch out, Tiger! With the amount of time us semicolons have to practice, we’ll be giving you a run for your money!
Yeah … and No
Yeah, having cancer is really hard.
Yeah, it’s also one of the most eye-opening experiences you will ever have.
No, it doesn’t always hurt.
Yeah, it often does. Or at least the tests for it are a huge pain and the stuff you drink tastes nasty. Colon surgery is no cake walk either.
Yeah, I’m usually feeling pretty good. I’m recovered from surgery.
Yeah, I’m still learning the ropes to life without much colon even 10 months later.
No, I would never ask for a double-colon surgery ever again.
Yeah, others have had worse than me, though.
Yeah, it’s hard to keep up morale sometimes.
Yeah, it’s way easier with good friends and family.
No, that doesn’t always cut it though.
Yeah, sometimes you do just need a day or night alone to take it all in.
Yeah, I think about cancer just about every day.
No, not because I’m directly fighting it right now or on chemo. But because its implications impact me each day.
Yeah, I’ve found a way to manage them.
No, I still don’t have it mastered, and I want my proverbial security blanket back.
Yeah, I still go poop and am one of the lucky ones. I can eat salad.
Yeah, I do wish I could have my colon back some days though.
No, I don’t regret having it removed. I’d rather have the least risk possible.
Yeah, that was probably me that farted.
No, I don’t like colonoscopies.
Yeah, I’m still going to tell you to get one until the day I die. You really need to get checked as you age or have problems.
No, they’re really NOT that bad.
Yeah, drinking that stuff and spending all night on the toilet is never fun for anyone. But suck it up and do it.
Yeah, I sometimes am saddened because I can’t have my own kids thanks to the surgeries and cancer treatments.
No, I don’t talk about it a lot.
Yeah, there is hope for us and adoption will be great one day.
No, we’re not ready for that yet.
Yeah, it’s frustrating to pay so much for medical care. Especially when other DINKS can do so much other fun stuff with their money.
Yeah, I struggle with that sometimes.
No, I don’t think we’ve got it as bad as so many others in the country.
Yeah, I feel blessed that we’ve been taken care of so far.
Yeah, I appreciate all of the comments about being strong and inspirational.
No, I don’t always know how to respond.
Yeah, I do feel like I’m still living in a fog sometimes. I don’t know if the impact of what I’ve gone through, what’s to come, or what’s looming over me some days really sinks in.
Yeah, the days that it does are hard. Thus, this post.
Yeah, I feel guilty sometimes when I see other survivors going through chemo or loosing their battles.
Yeah, I get jealous when others get clear results.
No, I would never wish sickness or this disease upon anyone. I truly rejoice at clear reports.
Yeah, I would trade it in myself if I could.
Yeah, I genuinely do still have hope most days.
Yeah, I think a long life ahead of me is definitely attainable.
No, my smile usually isn’t fake or fabricated.
Yeah, I’ve tried to find a way to embrace the aging effect and unique perspective all while acting my age.
Yeah, I’m typing this because today was a rough day.
Yeah, this blog helps and is therapeutic.
No, my day’s not all bathroom-related although maybe a little bit.
Yeah, it’s more about the emotional side of things tonight and what I have faced, and still face, hits me every now and then.
Yeah, I can’t do a post like this and not mention my faith.
Yeah, I think in the end, it’s what will really matter.
No, it’s not always easy for me to believe and trust that there’s a bigger plan and a greater world out there God’s created for us.
Yeah, I know it to be true though and that’s what gets me through.
Poop Rainbow
Today, the blog just got bolder. But this topic often goes un-discussed and needs to be out there. So here we go.
Ever have an unusual bowel movement? Poop looking peculiar? Have a crazy color in the ca-ca? Sometimes it’s nothing, and sometimes it’s something. Although I’m not a doctor, I’m often everyone’s go-to girl when it comes to unusual poop. While this isn’t a comprehensive list, hopefuly it’s a starting point for anyone seeing some strange stool colors.
Red – If you see any red in your stool or on your TP, have a heightened awareness. If it’s bright red, usually that indicates some type of tear or hemorrhoids. NOT ALWAYS, but often. Often called “blood in the stool,” the darker the red, the more serious the problem. If you start seeing dark red on your poo, speak up and call a doctor ASAP. It could be nothing, or it could be something. Don’t play with it though. And from personal experience – cutting out tomatoes, ketchup, Twizzlers or anything else “red” won’t make it go away.
Orange – You must have eaten a lot of carrots. This one is not extremely common, but can be found based on the bacteria in your body. Also, if you’ve recently had a scan involving dye, this could impact it as well.
Yellow/Green – If your food has gone through your digestive system faster than normal, a greenish/yellowish color might be seen. Or – if you have a tiny colon and much of the digesting is done in the small intestine, this is also the case sometimes, especially when things are running through you. Also to note, corn kernels don’t break down in the digestive system. It’s normal to see a yellow kernel saying hello during your trip to the porcelain pool. A diet high in iron, and particularly leafy greens, can also cause a green poop showing.
Blue/Purple – I guess this is mostly seen in kiddos when they get sick. While it’s not extremely common it can also signal that you’ve just eaten food with a lot of blue food coloring.
Brown– This is the most common color, obviously. This is mostly due to the bile, which is produced in the liver. Sometimes it’s darker and sometimes it’s lighter, but if it’s all brown, you should be in the clear. (** Unless you have a family history of colon cancer which means you should always be inspecting your poo and keeping up on your colonoscopies just in case.)
Black– Black stool is no good. It usually signals that you’re bleeding internally. Toward the end of my strange stool sightings and right before I went to the doctor, this color was pretty common for me. Don’t mess around with black stool, as it CAN mean cancer, ulcer, or other internal problems, regardless of your age! Get it checked out.
White – White poop is uncommon, but it can be a signal that something might be wrong with the liver. I wouldn’t mess around with this one either.
It is important to note that any dramatic change in color can be a sign that something is off. Keep a close eye on it, and if it persists more than a week or two, I recommend calling your doctor or GI specialist. Sometimes what you’ve eaten is influencing your poop’s color. But sometimes it’s not. And if you’re experiencing the colors of the rainbow more often than not, don’t let it go on for a few years and then decide to speak up like I did. You’ll save yourself the trouble and possibly many feet of colon.
Sources:
http://women.webmd.com/pharmacist-drugs-medication-9/digestive-problems
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